Master of Science

Psychology

The Master of Science in Psychology program at Arkansas Tech University is designed
to provide advanced students with sufficient breadth and depth to function in a variety
of professional environments. While emphasis is placed on research and Psychological
Principles, a concentrated effort is also made to establish the foundation necessary
for teaching, practice, post-graduate work, research, or any combination of these
areas.

Dr. Sean Huss Program Director

Witherspoon Hall 346 (479) 968-0305 shuss@atu.edu

Unconditional Admission

Students are eligible to apply for unconditional admission to the Master of Science
degree program in Psychology if they meet the following requirements and are approved
by the Psychology graduate faculty:

Applicants must have a minimum of 18 semester hours in Psychology at the undergraduate
level (including a course in statistics, and research methods, with a grade of "B"
or better).

Applicants must have an overall undergraduate grade point of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Applicants must submit recent (within the last 5 years), acceptable scores (to be
determined by the psychology graduate faculty) of the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE).

Approval from the Program Director.

Conditional Admission

Applicants who fail to meet the criteria for unconditional admission may be admitted
conditionally to enroll in twelve (12) semester hours. Students admitted conditionally
must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 at the completion of twelve
(12) semester hours with no grade lower than "C".

An applicant who satisfies the grade point requirement from an unaccredited institution
may also be eligible for conditional admission. In such cases, transcripts may be
judged to be deficient. The nature of the deficiency and subsequent deficiency requirements
will be determined by the Psychology Graduate Committee and the Director of the Graduate
Program in Psychology or the Head of the Department.

Academic Advisors

The Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology or the Head of the Department will
assign a temporary faculty advisor to each student admitted to the degree program.
The faculty advisor will assist the student in designing a curriculum of study that
leads to the fulfilment of the degree requirements and the preparation of the thesis.
The faculty advisor, the Psychology Graduate Committee, and the Graduate College monitor
the student's progress in the program. However, it remains the student's responsibility
to understand and to satisfy all degree requirements.

Degree Requirements

The student seeking the Master of Science degree in Psychology must complete the following:

A minimum of 30 semester hours in Psychology at the graduate level (5000-6000) with
no more than 12 hours of 5000 level courses considered toward completion of the degree.

The successful completion of an oral defense of the completed thesis or comprehensive
examination. Candidates will receive additional information on the oral defense from
the Academic Advisor and the Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology upon admission
to candidacy.

No more than six (6) hours of PSY 6993-6 Thesis Research will be counted toward the
degree.

No more than six (6) hours of PSY 6891-3 Independent Study will be counted toward
the degree.

A cumulative grade point average of a 3.00 or better must be achieved in all graduate
work attempted at Arkansas Tech University, with a maximum of six (6) hours of "C"
grades. A student receiving more than six (6) hours of "C" or grades lower than "C"
should refer to the section of the catalog on Academic Probation and Dismissal.

All course work must be completed within six (6) years of admission to the degree
program.

A minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate course work completed in residence at Arkansas
Tech University.

At the end of each fall semester, the student will meet with the Psychology Graduate
Committee for program review and evaluation.

Graduate students admitted unconditionally must apply for candidacy to the selected
degree program upon completion of twelve (12) graduate credit hours. Students admitted
conditionally cannot apply for candidacy until all conditions assigned at the time
of admission to graduate study have been removed.

Upon the completion of twelve (12) graduate hours, a hold will be placed on the students'
record until a candidacy form has been approved by the Graduate Dean. Failure to apply
for candidacy will result in the hold remaining on the students' record, and an inability
to register for subsequent coursework.

Students who have filed a candidacy form but do not enroll or receive graduate credit
for one (1) academic year must submit a new candidacy form upon being readmitted into
the same graduate program. If admitted into a different academic program, students
are not required to submit a new candidacy form until twelve (12) graduate credits
have been accumulated within the new program.

In addition to satisfying all degree requirements, a candidate for a degree must file
an Application for Graduation online or at the Registrar's Office. Students must apply for graduation upon completion
of twelve (12) graduate credit hours.

Special Conditions of Graduate Credit

Graduate Credit Taken Prior to Admission to Arkansas Tech University

A maximum of six (6) semester hours of graduate credit with a grade of "B" or better
may be transferred from an accredited school if deemed appropriate to the Psychology
Graduate Committee, the Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology, and the Graduate
College Dean. Students must send a written request through the Psychology Graduate
Committee to petition the acceptance of the transfer credit prior to request candidacy
to the graduate program. Graduate credit earned six (6) years prior to the completion
date of all degree requirements may not be applied toward the degree without the approval
of the Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology or the Head of the Department
and the Graduate College Dean. Credits earned by correspondence courses or taken for
remedial purposes will not apply toward the graduate degree.

Graduate Credit Taken After Admission to Arkansas Tech University

If after admission to graduate study, a student wishes to take a course at another
institution to count toward degree requirements at Arkansas Tech University, the student
must (in advance of enrollment) obtain written approval from the faculty advisor,
the Psychology Graduate Committee, the Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology,
and the Graduate College Dean.